Medical studies highlight risks and treatment gaps for brain bleed patients

Recent medical research has identified critical disparities and treatment considerations for patients suffering from intracranial hemorrhages, or brain bleeds. A cohort study published in JAMA Network Open, which analyzed nearly 200,000 stroke patients across 195 U.S. hospitals, found that while patients with bleeding strokes reached emergency rooms faster than those with clot-caused ischemic strokes, they were less likely to receive timely care. Specifically, these patients had 9% lower odds of receiving a brain scan within 20 minutes of arrival and 6% lower odds of being evaluated by an emergency physician within 10 minutes.

In a separate study published in Neurology, researchers examined the use of anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation and a history of brain bleeds. The observational study found that newer direct oral anticoagulants—such as apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban, and dabigatran—were associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke and death compared to no treatment. Notably, the use of these newer drugs was not linked to an increased risk of subsequent brain bleeds, whereas the older anticoagulant warfarin was associated with higher risks.